Bedford Falls Foundation-DAF and Hanover Family Foundation Invest $530,000 in Nursing Student Success

The Bedford Falls Foundation-DAF and the Hanover Family Foundation have made a combined $530,000 gift to the University of Tennessee Health Sciences College of Nursing to strengthen student success initiatives that help undergraduate students thrive academically, persist to graduation and enter the nursing workforce prepared to meet growing healthcare needs. This gift represents a collaborative investment by the two foundations in student achievement and regional nursing workforce development.

The investment will expand a coordinated, student-centered approach to academic success, providing additional support at key points in undergraduate students' educational journeys. Initiatives supported by the gift include enhanced academic coaching and individualized student support; the creation of a pre-enrollment "bootcamp" designed to help students build confidence and readiness; and efforts to refine and strengthen historically challenging undergraduate courses. This gift will also provide dedicated staffing focused on connecting students with needed resources and helping them navigate academic and personal barriers to graduation and professional readiness.

The gift also includes an allocation to the Dean's Emergency Fund, used to provide short-term financial assistance for students who have experienced a significant life change or event that might adversely impact their education.

On a recent tour, visitors to a UT Health Sciences College of Nursing simulation suite included from left: Lisa Beasley, DNP, chair of the Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention; Dean Wendy Likes, PhD, DNSc, APRN-BC; Bill Conway Jr., founder and trustee of the Bedford Falls Foundation; Adam Hanover, co-founder and CEO of Union Main Group; Brittany Conway, director of Learning and Engagement for the Bedford Falls Foundation; Christie Manasco, PhD, RN, former assistant dean of Student Affairs; Alise Farrell, PhD, MSN, RN, assistant professor; and Isabel Vasconez, general manager at Ambacar.

"Strong partnerships create stronger pathways to nursing careers," said Bill Conway, Jr., founder and trustee of the Bedford Falls Foundation and founder of the Bedford Falls Foundation-DAF. "We are proud to join the Hanover Family Foundation in support of the University of Tennessee Health Sciences as it expands academic support for its nursing students, helping prepare future generations of compassionate, highly skilled healthcare professionals to serve patients and communities."

The Bedford Falls Foundation and its related donor advised fund were established by Bill Conway Jr., co-founder and co-chairman of the global investment firm, the Carlyle Group, and his late wife, Joanne Barkett Conway. Their shared nursing philosophy is dedicated to removing financial barriers to a high-quality nursing education and supporting educational partners in addressing the nation's critical nursing workforce shortage.

"Bill and his late wife Joanne built the Bedford Falls Foundation into one of the nation's leading champions for nursing education," said Adam Hanover, co-founder and CEO of Union Main Group and grandson of Avron Slutsky, MD, UT Health Sciences College of Medicine Class of 1958. "After 15 years of working together, I asked Bill if our family could partner with the Bedford Falls Foundation to bring its mission to Memphis. We're proud to support the next generation of nurses who will strengthen healthcare across Memphis and the Mid-South."

The Hanover family is a fourth-generation Memphis family with roots in the city dating back to the early 20th century. Through Union Main Group and its family foundations, the family invests in businesses and civic initiatives that help make Memphis a city where talented people want to live, businesses want to grow and future generations choose to build their lives.

The College of Nursing is nationally recognized for preparing highly skilled nurse leaders through innovative education, research and clinical practice. The college's Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program ranks No. 18 in the nation among all public undergraduate nursing programs and No. 28 among public and private BSN programs on the 2026 Best Colleges List published by U.S. News & World Report. Its student success strategy focuses on academic and personal support to help students navigate the demands of a rigorous nursing education while often balancing additional responsibilities.

"Student success is paramount to everything we do at the College of Nursing, and this generous investment by the Bedford Falls Foundation and the Hanover Family Foundation will provide the support students need to achieve their goals," said Wendy Likes, PhD, DNSc, APRN-BC, FAANP, FAAN, dean of the UT Health Sciences College of Nursing. "These funds will allow the college to provide staff dedicated to tutoring and advising, as well as proactively address issues that could be barriers to success.

"We are grateful for this support in preparing compassionate nursing professionals for Tennessee."